Our New House (HOPEFULLY!!!)

This past weekend Ben and I signed a contract to start construction on our new house!! We are so excited. This doesn't become a reality unless we sell the house where we currently live. If you want to buy it click here!!! ;) We did have someone come look at it today, so we still have hope. Even if this isn't the house that God has for us, His plan is still best and He is still good... Just in case you wanted to see pictures... Here they are:

This is a picture from the website... but this is the model we have signed a contract for.

This is what our street will look like. (Mountain Laurel Court)

and this is our house site..

Floor Plan for Second Level

Floor Plan for First Level

God uses imperfect people to work out HIS perfect will

Still moving forward with B90X... but here is another insight:

First of all.. I am SO glad to be on this side in history of Jesus. I don't think I would have done very well in BC time.. I am thanking Jesus for that...

Anyways. While reading through Genesis, Exoudus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, and Judges there was a common theme all through out. God is perfect. His created humanity is not. His perfect will was completed anyway. Whoo hoo. He can use me!

Examples:

1. Noah got drunk...and his clothes came off (Gen. 9:21) (But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord)
2. Abraham.. Had a son with his wife's maid to produce an heir. (Gen. 16) Told a king that his wife was his sister and gave her to him TWICE (Gen. 12: 12 and Gen. 20) (Abraham believed the Lord and it was credited to him as righteousness)
3. Isaac gave Rebekah (his wife) to the king as his sister. (Gen. 26)
4. Jacob stole his twin brother's inheritance by lying to his father (Gen. 27)
5. Joseph was sold into slavery to Egyptians by his brothers.. (What they meant for harm, the Lord meant for good.) Gen. 50
6. Moses got so angry he threw the stone tablets with the 10 commandments on them and they shattered. (Ex. 32:19) (he was known to be very humble)
7. and there are tons more... but you get the point...

God used all these people for his good and perfect will to come to be. The weren't perfect, but HE is.

The Israelites FINALLY made it

Our church is reading through the Bible in 90 days...and calling it B90X.. You can click here for the reading schedule if you're interested. This has been pretty intense and I'm only in Judges. The first 5 books were pretty hard to get through. (They are the books that talk about laws..and lineage and repeats it over and over..) I have learned a TON though..

My first insight:

Moses brought the Israelites out of slavery from Egypt. When they were finally free from Pharaoh they were headed to the "Promised land" flowing with milk and honey. The sad part is... only 2 people from the original crowd of people made it. When the people we wandering through the desert the Lord was with them by a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. He provided food and water from them. It says in Exodus 14:31 that "and when the Israelites saw the great power the Lord displayed against the Egyptians, the people feared the Lord and put their trust in him and in Moses his servant."

Then... skip a couple of chapters and they are grumbling and complaining about how the Lord has brought them out of Egypt to die in the desert. The Lord provided manna and quail for food and then they trusted Him again. Then things got harder and they turned away AGAIN and AGAIN and AGAIN and AGAIN. And God saved them and provided for them AGAIN and AGAIN and AGAIN. They had to wander in the dessert for 40 years because they did not obey God and honor Him only. They were told to love God wholeheartedly... and they didn't. So they wandered until they died..

This really made me think of Christians today. How many times do we grumble and complain and throw ourselves a pity party. We won't go anywhere with that attitude. And we will stay where we are for a longer time.. BUT we don't have to.. The Israelites could have made it to the land flowing with milk and honey it they just obeyed God and loved HIM wholeheartedly. I think we as Christians can experience the "Promised Land" now. If we live the life He has for us, it is a life that is meant to be lived in abundance. It is a life that is filled with hope. It is a life that is filled with life. All we have to do is obey Him and love Him WHOLEHEARTEDLY.

With Love From Jesus

It is such an honor to serve..  And that is what we got to do on Saturday morning.  We served With Love From Jesus on their backpack giveaway day.  There were SO many people, and we ended up serving 280 people with backpacks and school supplies.  The picture below was taken of all the people waiting in line.  There were cars lined up for a mile down the road, and they got there at 6:00 am.

With Love From Jesus serves underprivileged families with all kinds of needs.  There were tents full of toys, clothes for men, women, and children, furniture, and anything else you might need.  Every hour on the hour they stop what they are doing and go to the Lord in prayer to thank HIM for providing all their needs.  There were 3 hair dressers who gave up their day to give back to school hair cuts for free!!
There were so many backpacks for ages kindergarten to 12th grade.  It was amazing.  They were filled with school supplies for the grade level the children were going into.
People donated new shoes for going back to school.... They went quickly!!I stamped the kids hands to show that they had received a backpack.  Every time I did I just wanted to squeeze those little kids and take them home...  Their parents probably wouldn't like that though; so I didn't.  Ben helped a lot of the single moms carry things to their cars.  It was heavy stuff...and it was a long walk.  He was so happy to be there serving them!!
The lady below in the blue shirt is Joy.  She owns the property that With Love From Jesus is on, and runs everything.  This woman is a hero, and an amazing prayer warrior.  All through out the day she would invite people with all kinds of needs to come inside the tent and pray.  The little girl in the picture below is a miracle from With Love From Jesus.  She had open heart surgery a couple of months ago, and so many people were praying for her.  She is doing great, but still has a long way to go...
This ministry is such a blessing to many... and for us on Saturday.. we were on holy ground...

Homes for Hope Benefit Concert

Come if you can!!  It's going to be AWESOME!!

Homes For Hope

Benefit Concert

Steele Creek Church of Charlotte

1929 W. Arrowood Road

Charlotte, NC 28217

August 14, 2009

Doors open: 6:30 p.m.

Program starts: 7:00 p.m.

FREE ADMISSION!

Elevation Church on the news!!

Wow!  It is such an honor to be apart of a great move of God!!  I just love my church!!

Recognize, Replace, Repeat

Sometimes when I have too much time on my hands, I can entertain a lot of negative thoughts.  I remembered this handout I got in a study I took in the spring:

Recognize:  Think about what the negative thoughts are when a circumstance arises.  Write them down so that you can see them.  Bring them "into the light" so to speak.  Every time that thought or thoughts occur recognize them..."oh, there it is again and that is a lie."

Replace:  Next we want to find a scripture (God's Truth) that will disprove the lie(s).  For example: replace "this is impossible" with: "With God all things are possible."  (Matt. 19:26)  "I can't do this" replace with "I can do all things through Him who gives me strength" (Phil 4:13)  Write your verses down and put them where you will see them often.  Commit them to memory.  We are reminded constantly of all we can't do; we need to be diligent in reminding ourselves what God CAN do!  

Repeat:  When the negative thoughts appear you recognize it and then repeat your scripture verse.  In time the lie will no longer appear but God's truth will ring true.  With a new outlook and a better understanding of God's promises you will be on your way to a changed life. 

I have recently been listening to Joyce Meyer's podcasts.  (This lady can speak some truth..)  She talks about how Satan attacks us through our mind... and he wants to affect our attitude and our thoughts.  We can have control over that my taking our thoughts captive and making them obedient to Christ.  

I hope this is as helpful to you as it was for me!!